16 Healthy Black Bean Recipes for Lunch

By

Camryn Alexa Wimberly

Published on July 8, 2024

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

If you’re in need of inspiration for your next lunch, you’re in the right place. These recipes are flavorful and nourishing, featuring earthy, tender black beans to add a boost of nutrients. From our Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos to our No-Cook Black Bean Salad, these lunches will have you stocking up on black beans so you can make them again and again.

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Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas — Greg DuPree

Here, we add a crisp, citrusy slaw to contrast nicely with the creamy squash filling in these black bean enchiladas.

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Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors—and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top.

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Ancho Chicken Breast with Black Beans, Peppers & Scallions

In this healthy chicken recipe, the meat is rubbed with ancho chile powder, a spice made from dried poblano peppers, adding mild heat and subtle smokiness.

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Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl

Simple brown rice and black beans serve as the backdrop for sautéed veggies and taco toppings.

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Make-Ahead Spinach & Black Bean Burritos

These egg, bean and cheese burritos are designed to be made ahead and frozen. They are perfect for busy days and make a satisfying breakfast or lunch.

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Meal-Prep Cilantro-Lime Chicken Bowls

Prep all four servings of this easy recipe at once for ready-to-eat dinners or packable lunches for the rest of the week. If you don't like a lot of heat, try using mild chili powder, and leave out the jalapeño from the rice.

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Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we use pasta made with black beans to bump up the fiber to an impressive 14 grams per serving, mixed with seasoned chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad.

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Taco Stuffed Avocados

Here we ditch the taco shell and use a hollowed-out avocado to hold a spicy turkey and black bean taco filling. The flesh of the avocado gets mashed with lime juice and cilantro for a quick and easy guacamole topping.

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Summer Corn Tortilla Soup

Take advantage of local fresh corn and whip up this delicious summer soup, topped with creamy avocado slices and crispy corn tortillas.

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Better Three-Bean Salad

Traditional three-bean salad gets a healthy, fresh spin with the addition of black beans, snap peas and a tarragon-infused dressing.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Rice Bowls

A bowl of tender shredded chicken, hot cooked rice and slightly spicy black beans served with fresh toppings and you’ve got a delicious make-ahead lunch.

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Sweet Potato Soup with Crispy Tortilla Topping

This easy tortilla soup is a satisfying vegetarian riff on the classic dish. Make it vegan by using vegetable broth and omitting the queso fresco topping.

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Salsa-Black Bean Burgers

Salsa and some pantry staples give this vegetarian bean burger recipe tons of flavor. We use crushed tortilla chips to bind the burgers together, making them a great vehicle for using up those crumbs that inevitably fall to the bottom of the bag.

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Kitchen Sink Burritos

These vegetarian bean burritos are packed with delicious veggies for a filling lunch. Wrap them in foil for a tasty on-the-go lunch option.

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